Shooting death lawsuit against city dismissed

Seattle police officers shot and killed Joseph Bernard Hradec at this Seal's Motel room, Jan. 14, 2009. Police tried twice to subdue him with a Taser after he refused to drop a knife. (Dan DeLong/P-I)

A lawsuit brought by the parents of a man killed by Seattle police was dismissed last week in King County Superior Court, after the officers’ use of force was considered justified.

Hradec

On Jan. 14, 2009, Joseph Bernard Hradec was at the Seal’s Motel with a woman who called 911. In the first call, dispatchers could hear arguing in the Aurora Avenue North motel room and the woman saying to let her go. In the second call, the woman said Hradec – a five-time felon recently released from jail – had a knife.

At some point, operators spoke with Hradec, who told them he was having an anxiety attack and that “by the time you get here, it will be too late,” Deputy Chief Nick Metz said at the time.

Police were called at 1:16 a.m. to the motel at 12035 Aurora Ave. N. Investigators said Hradec, 37, was likely intoxicated.

When officers arrived at the motel, they heard the woman’s screams for help and tried to get into the motel room. But the door was locked and barricaded, with the man pushing against it.

The officers broke a window and confirmed the man held a knife. It turned out to be a kitchen knife.

Through the window, one officer shot the man with a Taser, but Hradec was able to yank the barbs off before the Taser could have any effect.Police broke the door at the hinges, Metz said, and again tried to get inside. This time, Hradec sprayed one officer in the face with pepper spray.

In the confusion, the woman was able to escape out a back window with the help of other officers. Throughout the confrontation, police continued to order Hradec to drop the knife. Officers tried several more times to shoot him with a Taser, but none of the shots was effective in stopping him.

When Hradec came out of his motel room, five officers fired. They were: Sjon Stevens, Jason Stolt, Tim Jones, Adam Beatty, and then-student officer Nicholas Kartes.

“It was clear to them he was intent on hurting somebody,” Metz said of Hradec the following day.

Hradec had convictions for robbery, theft, possession of stolen property and drug violations. He pleaded guilty in December 2004 to charges of theft. It was violating terms of his community supervision related to that case that landed Hradec in jail shortly before his death.

A King County inquest jury found the officers’ use of force justified, but Hradec’s parents still sued the city.

In the motion for summary judgment by the City’s attorney, Stephen Larson of Stafford Frey Cooper argued that “the officers’ use of force was lawful and reasonable and the officers are entitled to qualified immunity in their use of force.”